knitting

I order a lot of my yarn from online stores, because I think they have a bigger selection, and they often have better prices, too. One of my favorites is Knit Picks because they have a great variety of yarns in all weights and sizes, they have super prices, and they have great clearance deals, too.

They carry books, patterns, accessories, and needles too, and they carry Harmony wood needles, which have become my very favorite needles of choice. Not only are they beautiful, they are wonderful to knit with! They have super pointy points, which really help with lace knitting, and the cables on the circular needles don’t kink up and curl like most other circular needles. They carry the circulars in 16-inch sizes, too, and I use these for just about all my small knitting projects.

I prefer to knit on circular needles, because I think it’s easier than having a loose needle laying around when you’re not knitting, and the Harmony needles are such a pleasure to use, I use them for any project I can!

So, check out Knit Picks. I’ve ordered from them numerous times, and never had a problem, and if you sign up for their newsletter, you’ll find out about new yarns, sales, and clearance items, too. What are your favorite online knitting stores?

What’s a stitch-n-pitch? Well, if you’re like me, it’s your idea of heaven! Yes, I’m a baseball fan, and I’m a knitter. Combine the two, and you get stitch-n-pitch, an event supporting needlearts at the baseball game!! Basically, the event urges stitchers of all sorts – knitters, crocheters, embroiderers, cross-stitchers, and needlepointers to bring their projects to the ball game. As the organizers say, “Sit among friends, family and colleagues and cheer on your favorite Baseball Team. Beginners, intermediate and experts are all welcome.”

Each major league ball team is sponsoring a day at their park for stitch-n-pitch, and this year, some minor league clubs are getting in on the action, too. For a complete schedule of teams hosting events, click here.

So, take your knitting out to the ball game! If you’re looking for a quick, simple pattern to take along with you, check out this Sparkly Sweatband that you can customize with your favorite team’s logo! Even if you don’t like baseball (gasp!), these wristbands will make the game fly along.

If you don’t like the wristbands, take along something simple, like a scarf, so you don’t have to worry about a complex pattern when the game heats up.

I usually don’t tend to keep more than one project on my needles at once, I like to finish one thing before I start another one. However, lately, I’ve been starting a project, getting bored, or running into trouble, and then going on to another one! Right now, I’m working on a tweed pillow for my couch, to coordinate with one I finished last month. I’m working on the back now, so it’ll be done in another day or two.

I also have a half-finished scarf that I think I’m going to frog, because I just don’t like the way its turning out, the first sock of a pair that I got bored with, and a cute “party apron” that I had trouble with the needles and the pattern, so I put it down. I usually NEVER do that, so I think I’m getting too excited about too many patterns at once! I hate to leave a project half done, it kind of hangs over my head, so I think I’m going to try to finish the apron next.

What about you, do you keep several projects on your needles at once? Do you end up running out of certain sizes of needles because of it? I know I do. Let me know about your unfinished projects, and if you have trouble completing them!

For years I was taught to tie my yarn together in a knot when I had to join one skein to another while I was knitting. I looked in an old knitting magazine, and there, plain as day, is that pesky knot in a photograph! Of course, now we know that tying that knot can make a bulky bump in your knitting, even if you do weave the ends in, so tying a knot is a big no-no in most knitting projects!

Instead, you want to secure the new yarn by knitting several stitches with it, pulling it tight, and then weaving in both the cut ends after you’ve finished your project. Just make sure to leave enough yarn (both the old and the new strands) so that you have enough to thread into a large-eyed tapestry needle and then gently thread through your work on the wrong side. Be sure to weave your ends in at least a couple of inches, and then snip the end of the yarn off close to the work. Gently stretch the work to make sure the ends don’t come out, and you’re done weaving in those pesky ends!

If you’re weaving in the ends on a lace project, you need to be careful that the ends don’t show on the right side of the work, so try to weave them inside the stitches, and don’t weave them through the openwork holes in the project.

I love to knit things I can use around the house. Currently I’m knitting a pillow for my couch, but I do quite a bit of kitchen knitting, too. I just finished up two dishcloths that I seem to use all the time in my kitchen. I like projects like these, because they are easy to do, are quick to knit, and I get the benefit of using them just about right away.

You can find patterns for dishcloths all over the Internet, or you can just make up your own. All they are is a square, so you can knit your favorite pattern stitch, add a garter stitch or seed stitch border, and you have your own custom dishcloth!

I remember my husband was skeptical about these the first time I made one, and then he used one, and realized how the texture of the stitches really works to scrub dishes and/or countertops! I use a cotton yarn so I can throw them in the washer without any worries, and I usually make them a little bigger than I want them to be, just in case they shrink in the washer.

These are two cloths I recently made that match my black and white “cow” kitchen, and I managed to get two out of a single skein of Sugar and Cream yarn. That’s pretty economical, I think! If you’re a beginning knitter, these are a great first project, and they make fantastic gifts, too, so knit up some kitchen knitting today!

Think afghans and throws belong in your grandmother’s house? Think again! With today’s yarns and such a wide variety of patterns, you don’t have to resort to that tired “Granny Square” afghan for your couch or bed. Try using a soft and supple chenille yarn for a throw you’ll want to cozy up in all winter, or a lightweight lacy yarn for a light and delicate summer throw.

The easiest way to knit a big afghan or throw is on long circular needles. If you use a good-quality bamboo or even metal needle, with stout cables, they will stand up to the weight of the afghan as you create it, and your stitches won’t be all bunched up and difficult to work. That’s especially important if you’re working on a lace design, when you need the room to manipulate the stitches.

Taking my own advice, I’ve made two different throws for my living room couch. One is a heavy, very large afghan/blanket that I use during the winter, and the other is a much smaller, decorative lacy throw I put out in the summer. I made them mostly for decoration, but my husband LOVES to curl up under the winter throw, especially if he’s feeling under the weather. So, create a couple of throws that are NOT you’re grandmother’s afghans, and you may get hooked on knitting for your home!

Are you tired of fuzzy, furry scarves? Word is they are out, or on their way out. Now me, I like them, and I still knit them. However, I can see how they would get old, after a while, and how people would be on the lookout for newer styles, colors, and textures.

First, I think fuzzy scarves have kept their popularity because they are soft, and I like soft, soothing scarves next to my skin. However, there are so many soft, yummy yarns out there, like wool, suede, cashmere, mohair, cotton, and such, that you can still find some great yarns that will make soft, drapable scarves that don’t have to be fuzzy. I think some of the ultra-soft angoras, super soft cottons, and acrylics, and some of the other specialty yarns that just keep popping up are wonderful for scarves, especially in lacy or textures styles that you really want to show off the stitch patterns.

I’m on the lookout for different scarf patterns now, that don’t have to be fuzzy. I’m looking for stitch details and texture that make the scarf more interesting, and frankly, an little more challenging to knit. Many of the scarf patterns just use a garter stitch because you really can’t see the stitch detail when you do a fuzzy scarf, but sometimes, I like to be a little more challenged than that.

What kind of scarves do you like? Short or long? Wide or narrow? Fuzzy or sleek? Let me know what your favorite types of scarves are, and why!

If you’re looking for a great little housewarming, hostess, or just general gift, knit up a cookie cozy! What’s a cookie cozy? Well, it’s a little square, with buttons or a bow for closure, that you can put cookies or other baked goods in for delivery or serving on your own dinner table. It’s kind of like a bread basket, without the basket! Cookie cozies are easy to make, and they will hold about a dozen small cookies, perfect to welcome a new neighbor to the neighborhood, or whatever.

I created my own pattern for my cozy, in colors to match my black and white cow-themed kitchen. However, I’ve done them in a variety of colors and sizes and yarns, and they’ve all turned out just great. I’ve given several away as gifts, and everyone has loved them.

All you need is some worsted-weight cotton yarn (cotton because it’s washable and shows up the stitch work very well), a favorite dishcloth pattern, and an idea of the size you’d like to make your cozy. (Mine are about 9-1/2 to 11-1/2-inches square, but you can make them whatever size you’d like.) You can make buttonholes in the border, or you can chain stitch some button loops and sew a button on one corner to close the cozy. If you look at my picture, you’ll figure out how to close it.

This is a fun weekend project, and I bet once you make one, you’ll be hooked! Let me know how your cookie cozy turns out, ok?

Do you know what frogging is? Chances are, if you’ve been knitting long enough, you’ve frogged, and may not even know it. Frogging is the process of knitting along, realizing you’ve made a mistake, and ripping your knitting back to the point where you can fix the mistake. Why’s it called frogging? Because you just have to “rip it” and get along with it. Ah, now you get it!

Well, I’m working on a project now that has be froggin’ crazy! I’m using a soft, chenille type yarn, and it just isn’t working in the pattern I chose. It’s a crossover pattern, which took me about five tries to get right, and then, as it progressed, I just see it’s not right at all, and I’m going to have to frog it again.

Oh, frogging is also that other well-known process in knitting, the one where you hate the project so much that you rip it out entirely and put the yarn aside to use for something else. Been there, done that. In fact, this scarf project I’m working on right now, (the crossover pattern), is heading in that direction. I’m going to frog the whole thing and move on to something else, until I can decide what to use the yarn for.

The yarn is a beautiful variegated fall-burnished copper color, and I love it, but it’s just not doing justice to this pattern. Don’t you hate it when that happens?! I think I’ll move on to another project for my house that I’ve been meaning to do, and call it a froggin’ day.

So, I realize I’m a little behind the times, and this is old news to some knitters, but I just have to comment on the demise of Knitty Gritty and other craft shows on DIY. What a crock! Knitters only had this one show to get their fix, and now, the network is turning all their attention to the home building and DIY shows for MEN, who seem to be their target audience.

Obviously, they have no clue what a social and lucrative bunch knitters and other crafters are. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve purchased yarn for projects I’ve seen on Knitty Gritty, and purchased books recommended there, too. I am lucky enough to have a DVR, and so, I can tape the reruns even during late night programming, and I’m saving them now, since I know they won’t come back again any time soon. It just makes me boil, though, because this show is so cool, has such great ideas, and really is the only thing for us knitters on TV.

Well, the only good news is that in July, there is going to be a new knitting show premiering on PBS. So, I say we boycott DIY, since they won’t be showing anything we’re interested in anyway, and start patronizing the new PBS show. Buy the products, send feedback to PBS, and let DIY know they really don’t know a thing about DIY for women!